My Uncle, he has a high position at a company.
He says if I take the right classes, and master Japanese, he could hire me.
That sounds good, and if I do decide to take that job, I'll be living in Japan, and apply citizenship.

But citizenship.....
Does it help becomeing a citizen of Japan if you are part Japanese and you have lots of family there? I have many cousins, many aunts and uncles, a pari of grandparents, and many great aunts and uncles. Would this increase my chance at all?

Last edited by I-samu on Sat 02.25.2006 9:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Being half, I would think you'd have a good chance. You'd have to give up American citizenship though, which is something you should think long and hard about. (Are you American? I don't remember....)

If you're working, you can of course get a working visa, and be a registered alien. Even better, since you're half you can get a long-term resident visa. I have a friend who's only 1/4 Japanese, but since he has relatives in Japan he was able to get a long visa, like 6 years or something, and he doesn't even have to be working. And when that 6 years is up, I'm sure it'd be pretty possible to get it renewed.

Anyway, if you are American, you have to choose one or the other because America doesn't allow dual-citizenship. I'd much rather remain an American citizen with a long-term/permanent resident visa than become a Japanese citizen B)

Daisuke wrote:

coco wrote:You should erase Company's name. Otherwise your uncle will be in trouble.

I don't see exactly why you think he'd be in trouble tho'..

Let me guess... is the company LiveDoor?? :D

Last edited by keatonatron on Sun 02.26.2006 12:00 am, edited 1 time in total.

LIke keatonatron said, there is a visa for "Spouse or Child of a Japanese National." That allows you to live in Japan for as long as you would like, but you have a renewal period every few years or so.

You can file for Japanese citizenship, but you have to have lived in Japan for 5 (or 10 I can't remember) years, as well as "lead a lifestyle that is in harmony with Japanese culture." You must also be able to speak and read Japanese at an everday level.

Filing for Japanese citizenship takes a long time, and is a non-reversable process, since you will then have to give up your American citizenship. You can get a permanent visa much more easily, and still keep your American citizenship, However, you will not have some rights that Japnaese citizens have (such as owning land and voting).

Citizenship vs. 永住visa is something that I've been talking with my wife about for a while, and we still haven't come to a decision. One thing we know for sure is that we are going to wait until we're done having children before I switch natioanlities, so that my children will be dual-citizen (until they're 18) at which point they can choose for themselves where they want to live. If you are thinking of having children, or a family in Japan, I would suggest also thinking about the future of your children and spouse before changing your nationality.

seems to be that recent changes make dual-citizenship possible. i think the truth is that they don't want to loose their income from taxation.

if i read correctly you pretty much have to go to the counselate and formally denounce citizenship to loose it. so if Japan is willing to allow dual-citizinship (or even asks you to denounce your US citizenship but doesn't make you do it infront of US government officials) then as far as the US is concerend you're still a citizen...

keatonatron wrote:Being half, I would think you'd have a good chance. You'd have to give up American citizenship though, which is something you should think long and hard about. (Are you American? I don't remember....)

If you're working, you can of course get a working visa, and be a registered alien. Even better, since you're half you can get a long-term resident visa. I have a friend who's only 1/4 Japanese, but since he has relatives in Japan he was able to get a long visa, like 6 years or something, and he doesn't even have to be working. And when that 6 years is up, I'm sure it'd be pretty possible to get it renewed.

Anyway, if you are American, you have to choose one or the other because America doesn't allow dual-citizenship. I'd much rather remain an American citizen with a long-term/permanent resident visa than become a Japanese citizen B)

Daisuke wrote:

coco wrote:You should erase Company's name. Otherwise your uncle will be in trouble.

seems to be that recent changes make dual-citizenship possible. i think the truth is that they don't want to loose their income from taxation.

if i read correctly you pretty much have to go to the counselate and formally denounce citizenship to loose it. so if Japan is willing to allow dual-citizinship (or even asks you to denounce your US citizenship but doesn't make you do it infront of US government officials) then as far as the US is concerend you're still a citizen...

It used to be if you were an American simply born in another country, you could choose to become a dual citizen when you turn 18. My brother was born in Germany, and was excited about being able to become a dual citizen. However, a few years before he turned 18 they changed the laws so he would have to choose one citizenship when he turned 18.

Of course there's always the "what they don't know won't hurt them" idea, but if you denounce American citizenship without them knowing, it could be considered a "conflict of interest" or even treason, which is pretty serious. I know that website said the Americans don't really care, and they probably wouldn't unless something came up... but it sounds really risky to me. Generally, holding two passports is a bad thing (ahem, spy?)

I have an acquaintance who is Korean, but lived in Canada. He was going back to visit Korea, but had a problem: for some reason he had a passport from both countries (I'm guessing he became a Canadian citizen but didn't tell the Koreans). He was asking my advice on what he should do, because if the Koreans found his Canadian passport he would be in BIG trouble (this is South Korea by the way). So I told him to just not take his Canadian passport (it was a bit more complicated because he was in Japan and had come on his Canadian passport and needed to use it to leave or something).

Anyway. If you take Japanese citizenship, coming to the states could get complicated (especially with the new security measures for foreigners. If you use your Japanese passport to leave Japan, and then your US passport to enter the US, they would see you don't have an exit stamp from Japan. And if you use your Japanese passport for both, you could only stay as a tourist in America, and when they scan your fingerprints as a forienger, they might find out your a regierested American...)

see also: US State Department, i guess it can get complicated with travel and whatnot. but since there is no constitutional provision against dual-citizenship i think i would give it a try. (now to just find some other country that will allow me to hold dual-citizenship )

Since you wrote your uncle's given name on the another thread, I identified your uncle's full name, his position. That is what I was afraid of. If you don't understand what I say, ask him or show him this thread.

Since you wrote your uncle's given name on the another thread, I identified your uncle's full name, his position. That is what I was afraid of. If you don't understand what I say, ask him or show him this thread.

I understand. But I removed the companys name quickly, so it should be alright.

Actually, Japan doesn't allow you to maintain daul citizenship from what I've read. The American government is fairly lax, and won't tell on you for not handing in your papers, but they try to hold it over your head when you act against them.